Sports Picks & Predictions

At 7:05 m, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Washington Capitals.  Pittsburgh did everything but win the game in DC on Saturday night.  They out-shot, out-hustled, and out-hit the Capitals, but in the end they wound up on the losing end of a 6-3 game that was much closer than the score indicates (the Caps got two empty net goals, something you don't see in the regular season).  The Caps were without their #1 physical presence, F Tom Wilson (suspension) and it showed.  They will be without him again tonight and in the final game if the Pens win this Game 6.  Even worse:  it's also possible Washington will be without F Nicklas Backstrom and D John Carlson -- both of whom left the third period with injuries on Saturday, and are being evaluated as of this writing.  Regardless, a Pens' effort similar to Saturday's should result in a home-team victory tonight, and would send this series back to Capital One Arena for one of the most anticipated Game 7s in quite some time.  The Caps are 4-9 in the last 13 trips to Pittsburgh, and 10-18 in close-out Playoff games, while Pitt is 17-3 their last 20 off a loss by 2+ goals (and 50-15 their last 65).  Take the Pens.  NHL Elite Info Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm (please note the early start), our selection is on the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics to go 'under' the total.  We played on the under in Saturday's Game 3, and easily got the $$$, even though the game did go into overtime.  One of the reasons we played on that Game 3 to go 'under' was that the Celtics have been a strong 'under' team on the road (now 37-26-4 'under') and especially in the playoffs (now 15-5 'under' their last 20 road playoff games).   Boston won that Game 3, as a 9.5-point underdog, and now leads this series 3 games to none.  And that leads us to another reason why I love tonight's game to go 'under.'  In the NBA playoffs, teams (like Philly) trailing in a series, and facing elimination have gone 'under' the total much more often than not over the past 28 years.  This season, we've seen 7 of 10 such elimination games go 'under' the total, and I look for that trend to continue tonight.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over the Vegas Golden Knights.  This series could be the first second-rounder to go to seven games if the Sharks can win at home tonight.  And there's reason to believe that they can.  For one thing, the Sharks tend to do really well against opponents who are strong on the road.  They are 9-2 in their last 11 home games vs. teams with a winning road record.  And although there hasn't been a lot of history with this series, the home team has been dominant in what little history there is (6-3 in the nine meetings).  In their two previous playoff games here, the Sharks have out-shot the Knights by nine (76-67) and they actually dominated game three, which went to OT before Vegas finally prevailed.  They were able to put that loss behind them in game four here when they played their best game of the post-season, shutting out the Knights, 4-0.  The Sharks are also 10-2 in their last 12 when their opponent scores five goals or more in the previous game.  Take San Jose.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 4:10 pm, our selection is on the Houston Astros over Arizona.  The defending World Series Champs will hand the ball to their ace, Justin Verlander.  And all Verlander has done this season is go 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP.  And on the road, he's been untouchable, with a 0.00 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in three starts.  I look for Verlander's spectacular season to continue this afternoon, as he's never lost to the Diamondbacks (3-0, 2.61 ERA).  Moreover, Houston is 57-24 as a road favorite, while the Diamondbacks are an awful 38-132 when priced from +175 to +250.  Take the Astros.  MLB Road Warrior Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:35 pm, our selection is on the Golden State Warriors minus the points over New Orleans.  The Pelicans blew out the Warriors, 119-100, on Friday to cut the series deficit to one game heading into this Game 4.  Unfortunately for the Pelicans, the Warriors are at their very best off a straight-up loss when playing an opponent off a win.  Dating back to 2011, Golden State is 75-38-1 ATS in this situation, including 15-8 ATS in the Playoffs, and 9-1 ATS as a favorite of more than 5 points vs. a .580 (or better) foe.  Take the Warriors.  NBA ELITE INFO WINNER.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavs Under the total.  The Raptors were upset at home, 128-110, by the Cavaliers on Thursday.  Teams off home upset losses in the Playoffs tend to bounce back with better defensive games on the road the next time out, and such games have gone 'Under' the total 58% since 1991.  The Under also falls into a 97-55 Totals system of mine.  Take the Under.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Raptors + the points over Cleveland.  The Raptors were blown out, 128-110 in Game 2, and certainly didn't expect to be down 2 games to none in this series after compiling the best record in the Eastern Conference.  We'll grab the points with Toronto as NBA playoff teams with a superior win percentage have cashed 79.16% since 1991 off back-to-back playoff losses, if they lost their previous game by 15+ points.  Take Toronto.  NBA Game of the Week. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:15 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Caps may have lost game four in Pittsburgh, but in many ways, the game Thursday night was a moral victory for them.  They found out earlier that day that F Tom Wilson had been suspended for three games for an illegal hit that broke the jaw of Penguins C Zach-Aston Reese.  Even without their #1 enforcer, the Caps played the Penguins basically even for most of the game, finally succumbing late in the second period on an Evgeni Malkin goal that barely trickled over the goal line (Pittsburgh added an empty-net tally at the end).  The Caps held the Pens to just 24 shots, but only managed 21 themselves.  Look for that to change tonight back at home where DC put 66 total shots on Matt Murray in Games 1 and 2.  And the fact that the Caps only lit the lamp once on Thursday may not be a good thing for the Pens tonight as they are 1-6 in their last seven when their opponent scores two goals or less in their previous game.  Meanwhile, Washington is 24-13 off a loss.  Take the Caps.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:10 pm, our selection is on the Atlanta Braves over the San Francisco Giants.  At 19-12, the Braves are off to their best start since the days of Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones.  The hitting has been huge for them with veterans like Nick Markakis, Freddy Freeman, and -- surprise -- Kurt Suzuki stepping up and having big seasons.   But it's the starting pitching that has provided perhaps the biggest unexpected boost.  Atlanta's staff has a 3.35 ERA this season, which is fourth-best in the National League.  One of the reasons has been the performance of veteran RH Brandon McCarthy.  The 34-year-old is putting in an early bid for his first All Star appearance, with a 4-0 record and 3.09 ERA in six starts covering 32 innings.  This will be McCarthy's first time facing the Giants as a member of the Braves, but he's very familiar with them from his days with the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.  The Giants will go with LHP Ty Blach and they are 0-6 in his last six road starts vs. teams with a winning record.  Take the Braves.  Mound Mismatch Massacre. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:10 pm, our selection is on the New York Mets over the Colorado Rockies.  The sky seemed to be the limit for Mets' LHP Steven Matz after his second season in the league in 2016.  In that campaign, Matz won nine games while posting a 3.40 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 22 starts while finishing sixth in the NL Cy Young balloting.  But 2017 brought injuries like it did for so many Mets pitchers, and when the dust settled, Matz had posted just two wins from 13 starts with an ugly 6.08 ERA.  So this season brings a chance for Matz to hit the reset button and although he's struggled a bit so far, there are some very positive signs like his 26 strikeouts and 10 walks in 21 2/3 innings.  He'll look to build on that tonight at home where the Mets have won each of his last two starts against two very good teams (the Nats and Brewers).  RHP Chad Bettis hasn't faced the Mets since July of 2016 and both of his starts against them have been here at Citi Field and his team is 0-2 in those.  The Rockies are 5-13 in the last 18 games in Queens.  Take the Mets.  MLB Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 5:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia 76ers minus the points over Boston.  The Sixers are down 2 games to none in this series, and have been installed as a big favorite today.  That bodes well for them, as teams down exactly two games in a series have cashed 71.05% at home in the first three rounds of the playoffs since 1991 when favored by more than 4 points.  Lay it.

At 5:05 pm, our selection is on the Under in the Philly/Boston game.  The Celtics are 36-26-4 Under the total on the road their last 66 games, and are 14-5 Under their last 19 Playoff games.  The Under also falls into an 86-48 Totals system of mine.  Take the Under.

At 10:35 pm, on Friday, our selection is on the Houston Rockets minus the points over Utah.  The Jazz stunned the #1-seeded Rockets on Wednesday, with a 116-108 victory at the Toyota Center.  Unfortunately for the Jazz, NBA home teams are an awful 6-17 ATS in Game 3 of the quarterfinals, if they're off an upset win and the series is tied at 1-game apiece.  Even worse:  if their win percentage is .640 or worse, then they're a dismal 1-10 ATS.  Take Houston in Game 3.  Western Conference Game of the Week. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the Milwaukee Brewers over the Pittsburgh Pirates.  It would be hard for Nick Kingham to have a better MLB debut than he did last Sunday.  The 26-year-old Pirates RH took a perfect game into the seventh inning, the first time any pitcher had done that in his MLB debut since 1974.  When it was over, Kingham had tossed seven, one-hit innings, striking out nine without a walk.  Needless to say, he got the win and has stuck in the Pittsburgh rotation.  But Kingham also had a dream match-up in the first start.  He got to face a Cardinals offense that's hitting just .235 this season, and he did it at home.  Things won't be so easy for him tonight in start number two.  He has to go to Milwaukee to face the first-place Brewers on their home soil.  And although Kingham's ERA after that start is 0.00, he's going opposite a starter whose number isn't much higher than that.  RHP Junior Guerra sports a 0.82 ERA but he's done that over four starts and 22 innings.  The Pirates are 1-4 in the last five meetings and 25-69 in the last 94 in Milwaukee.  Take the Crew.  MLB Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, on Friday, our selection is on the 'under' in the Golden State/New Orleans game.  The Warriors scored more than 120 points in each of the first two games of this series.  The knee-jerk reaction might be to look for another high-scoring game on Friday in Game 3.  But consider that NBA Playoff games have gone 'under' the total 63.2% since 1992 in games where one (or both) of the teams had scored more than 116 points in each of its two previous Playoff games in that season.  Take the Warriors/Pelicans 'under' the total.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Tampa Bay Lightning.  The all-or-nothing Bruins are at it again.  It seems throughout these playoffs, the Bruins either win big or lose big -- there is little in between with them.  Case in point:  only one of their 10 playoff games so far has been decided by one goal and none of them have gone to OT.  They seem to have a pattern of playing two great games in a row followed by two clunkers, and their last two games -- including game three here at home -- certainly qualify as the latter.  In game two in Tampa, the Bruins managed just 20 shots and on Wednesday, they weren't much better, putting 29 on the Tampa net while the Bolts logged 37 and won the game easily, 4-1.  With that as a backdrop, don't be surprised if there is a big turnaround tonight, similar to what we saw in Game 7 at home vs. Toronto after the Bruins lost the two previous games.  The Lightning are 8-29-3 in the last 40 meetings in Boston, and a poor 8-11 (minus 14 games on the moneyline) off a win over a division rival.  Meanwhile, Boston is 14-3 at home off a loss, and 8-3 this season off back to back losses.  Take the Bruins.  NHL Game of the Year!  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia 76ers minus the points over Boston.  The Sixers were upset, 117-101, in Game 1 of this series.  But I look for them to bounce back on Thursday, as favorites are 73-45-2 ATS in the 2nd Round of the NBA playoffs since 1991 off a 7-point road loss, including 5-2 ATS as a road favorite off an upset loss.  Lay the points with Philly.  NBA High Roller Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, on Thursday, our Metropolitan Division Game of the Month is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Washington Capitals.  On Tuesday night, the Caps took a 2-1 series lead with a 4-3 upset win at the Igloo.  So, Washington may be able to finally break the Penguins' stranglehold on their Playoffs rivalry (the Pens have won nine of 10 Playoff series vs. Washington, including all 7 series since 1995).   So the monkey isn't off their back quite yet -- it's just slipping a bit.  But winning two straight in Pittsburgh, and taking a 3-1 series lead, is a whole different story.  So, you can bet the Pens will come out firing tonight to try to establish the early advantage.  It definitely helped their cause that the Pens had Evgeni Malkin and Brian Dumoulin back on the ice in game three, although neither was likely at 100% on Tuesday.  They should be better tonight and the Pens may also get Carl Hagelin back, while the Caps could be without Tom Wilson, who is facing a suspension for a high hit in game two.  Wilson is a big (6' 4") enforcer when he's on the ice and without him, the Caps won't be nearly as physically effective.  The Pens are 97-35 in their last 132 home games, 67-26 after allowing more than three goals, and 20-6 off back to back losses.  Take Pittsburgh.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Raptors minus the points over Cleveland.  The Raptors were upset by Cleveland, 113-112, in Game 1 on Tuesday.  I love the Raptors to rebound on Thursday, as home teams have cashed 75% over the past 13 years off a loss in Game 1 of the quarter-final round, including a perfect 8-0 SU/ATS when they owned a win percentage of .700 or better.  Take Toronto.  NBA Elite Info Winner.  Good luck, as always....Al McMordie.

At 3:40 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Two of the NL's hottest southpaw starters of 2018 go to the mound in this series finale in Arizona this afternoon.  Both the Dodgers' Alex Wood and the D-Backs' Patrick Corbin have WHIPs well under 1.00, with Corbin's at 0.75 and Wood's at 0.89.  But Corbin's Kryptonite just might be the L.A. Dodgers.  In 17 appearances vs. L.A. -- including 15 starts -- Corbin is 4-9 with a 4.05 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in just under 87 innings.  Those nine losses represent the most that he's accumulated against any team in baseball.  On the flip side, Wood has a very solid 3.20 ERA in 13 career games (nine starts) vs. Arizona and he's thrown quality starts in each of his last three (and five of his last six) against it.  Meanwhile, Arizona is 1-5 in Corbin's last six vs. L.A. dating back to June of 2016, while the Dodgers are 21-9 in Wood's last 30 starts.  Take L.A.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:40 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers over Arizona.  LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu will go to the mound tonight and the Korean has pitched very well so far.  In five starts, he's 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA and a sparkling 0.84 WHIP.  In contrast, his mound opponent's numbers are rather pedestrian.  For the season, Zack Godley has a 3.81 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP, including a 6.91 ERA and 2.16 WHIP over his last three starts.  Godley's career ERA vs. the Dodgers is 4.33, and he was bombed for six runs (five earned) in four innings by the Dodgers less than three weeks ago.  Take Los Angeles.  MLB High Roller Winner. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Tampa Bay Lightning.  The Bruins surprised the Lightning in Game 1 in Tampa, one of three road upsets in Game 1 of the second round (the others being Pittsburgh and Winnipeg).  The Bolts came back in a must-win Game 2 (as did the Caps and Predators) to even the series as it heads to Boston for two games.  If any team has to be worried now that home ice advantage has swung to the other team, it's the Bolts.  They've performed incredibly poorly in Boston over the years as they are a woeful 7-29-3 at the last 39 meetings at TD Garden.  And most of those were when the Lightning had a very good team.  Now three of the next five games will be played here and that's not the situation that Tampa wanted to be in.  Only two teams -- the Penguins and Jets -- scored more goals at home this season than the Bruins, and not by much.  And Boston's eight regulation losses at home was the fewest such total in the Conference.  The Bolts are 34-70 in their last 104 road games vs. teams with a home winning % greater than .600.  Take Boston.  NHL Elite Info Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:40 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Clayton Kershaw is no doubt proud of his many accomplishments, but being on the wrong end of one of the biggest upsets in MLB history isn't one of them.  In his last start, Kershaw was a -450 favorite against the Marlins and a starter named Trevor Richards.  When the dust had settled, the Marlins won the game and Kershaw's record dropped to an unthinkable 1-4 on the season.  The three-time Cy Young winner is no doubt glad to have April behind him and he can now focus on the rest of the season and leading the Dodgers to yet another post-season.  Kershaw is 27-11 with a 2.56 ERA in 54 career starts in May (vs. 17-16 and 2.94 in April).  Yet another injury to Taijuan Walker has opened up a rotation spot in Arizona for RH Matt Koch.  The third-year rookie will get his third start of the season tonight, his first ever against the Dodgers.  Kershaw had his best start of the young season the last time he faced the D-Backs on April 15 (12 Ks with 0 BB in 7 IP).  Take the Dodgers.  Mound Mismatch Massacre.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Raptors minus the points over Cleveland.  The Cavaliers were stretched to the full seven games in the first round by the #5-seeded Indiana Pacers.  Now, they have to play the fairly well-rested #1 seeded Raptors, who dispatched Washington in six games.  We'll lay the points with Toronto, as underdogs of +6 or more points, off a seven-game series win in Round 1, are a poor 27% ATS since 1991 in Game 1 of the 2nd round.  Take Toronto minus the points.  NBA Elite Info Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Washington Capitals.  Game two of this series pretty much followed the pattern of game one, with the Caps jumping all over the Penguins early on and the visitors staging a furious rally in third period.  But this time the Caps held on to even the series as it heads back to Pittsburgh for games three and four.  There was a controversial no-goal in the third period which could have swung the game to the Pens' favor, but the bottom line is that Pittsburgh has to slow down the Caps in the first period tonight and prevent them from scoring in the first few minutes as has been the case so far.  With their crowd behind them, they should be able to do this and they could get another big boost tonight in the form of the return of C Evgeni Malkin.  The superstar has missed the first two games with a lower body injury and the Pens could sure use his size on the front line as they've been getting a bit man-handled by the more physical -- up to this point -- Caps.  Pittsburgh is 8-0 in its last eight when its opponent allowed two goals or less in the previous game, and it's 17-2 off a loss by more than a goal.  Take the Pens.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the Houston Astros over the New York Yankees.  With apologies to Red Sox fans, this is a series that many are looking forward to because it could very well be a preview of the ALCS.  The Astros are the defending champions, but the Yankees are a lot of people's favorites to win it all yet again.  Game one features a couple of veteran RHPs who are somewhat new to their teams.  Both the Yanks' Sonny Gray and the Astros' Charlie Morton joined their current clubs in 2017.  And while Morton has picked things up this season exactly where he left off, Gray has gotten off to a very slow start.  The former darling of the Oakland A's is 1-1 with an ugly 7.71 ERA and 2.14 WHIP through five starts for the Yankees.  It's too early to panic but the Bombers have to be at least a little concerned about the numbers Gray has put up to this point.  Morton on the other hand has taken his game to another level, going 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA in his first five starts for the champs and he's not showing any signs of slowing down.  The Yanks are 0-6 in the last six games in Houston.  Take the 'Stros.  Mound Mismatch Massacre.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia 76ers minus the points over Boston.  The Celtics needed seven games to dispatch of the Milwaukee Bucks.  Unfortunately, teams that go the full seven games generally perform poorly in Game 1 of the next round when matched up against opponents that won their series in four or five games (as Philly did vs. Miami).  Since 1991, the teams that played seven games in their previous series have cashed just 33% in Game 1 vs. foes that played much shorter series.  Take Philly.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Boston Bruins.  The Lightning lost the first game of this series as a home favorite, but they can at least take some solace that they are in good company.  The Capitals and Predators also lost game one as a home favorite but came back in a must-win Game 2 situation.  Only the Golden Knights won their second-round home opener (although Vegas lost game two as a heavy favorite).  So here is the #1 seed in the East now with its back against that same wall in Game 2 after getting embarrassed here at Amalie Arena in Game 1 by a 6-2 score.  But an important observation from Game 1 is the fact that the Bolts didn't pull Andrei Vasilevskiy from goal.  The modus operandi of so many teams in the post-season is to replace the starting goalie as soon as it becomes apparent that he is having a bad game.  But Tampa didn't do that, and showed confidence in its netminder, despite the fact that Vasilevskiy gave up five tallies in just 23 shots.  That decision could pay huge dividends tonight.  Despite their win in Game 1, the Bruins are 2-6 in their last eight road games.  Take Tampa.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Winnipeg Jets.  For the second straight time in these playoffs, the Nashville Predators laid a big egg at home.  They lost a potentially clinching game five here badly in the first round to the Avalanche before clinching it in Colorado.  But that stumble was nothing compared to what they did in game one of this series on Friday.  Out-shooting the Jets by a whopping 48-19, the Predators got spanked, 4-1 in the opening game.  Goalie Pekka Rinne was replaced after he allowed three goals in the first 16 shots.  If there's anything positive to take away from that performance it's that Rinne has plenty of opportunity to redeem himself.  If those are the only three goals he gives up at home in this series, then it will probably be fine.  Rinne knows this and he is a veteran with plenty of playoff experience -- 77 post-season games to be exact.  After the mis-step at home in the Colorado series, Rinne came right back with a shutout in the next game.  Don't be surprised if he does it again.  Despite the win in game one, the Jets are 5-11 in the last 16 here in Nashville.  Take the Preds.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:35 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Cardinals have prided themselves on strong starting pitching for years.  And with Lance Lynn traded away and Adam Wainwright close to retirement, nobody personifies the future of St. Louis starters more than RHP Luke Weaver.  Unfortunately, after a strong start to the season, Weaver has struggled in his last two outings, allowing 10 runs on 11 hits in 8 2/3 innings against the Cubs and Mets.  Look for a bounce-back today against the Pirates and a starter making his MLB debut.  RHP Nick Kingham has been in professional ball for eight years and he finally gets a taste of the Big Show today at age 26, two years the senior of Weaver who has been in the league since 2016.  Kingham had some solid numbers in AAA this season, but overall, he has looked like an average pitcher so far.  In three career games vs. the Pirates (two starts), Weaver is 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA.  The Cards are 6-1 in Weaver's last seven road starts and 8-1 in his last nine starts following a team loss in the previous game.  Take St. Louis.  MLB Road Warrior Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the Cleveland Cavaliers minus the points over Indiana.  It's tough to make an argument against a home team in an NBA Game 7, regardless of how the first six games went.  So, yes, it's absolutely true that Indiana has been the better team up to this point.  The Pacers have covered five of the six games, and blew out Cleveland by 34 on Friday.  But the fact remains that NBA home teams have dominated Game 7s since the dawn of NBA history (103-26 straight-up).  And nothing has changed recently, either, as NBA home teams are 14-3 straight-up and 11-6 ATS since June 2013.  Moreover, LeBron James has also been dominant at home in the Playoffs in games where his team was tied or trailing in the series.  In his career, his teams have gone 54-15 SU and 44-25 ATS in this situation, including a perfect 3-0 SU/ATS in Game 7.  Indeed, LeBron James' teams have now cashed five straight Game 7s (whether at home or on the road) since 2008, and they've covered those five games by an average of 7.1 ppg.  Take the Cavaliers.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Golden State Warriors minus the points over New Orleans.  It's tough to go against a home team in Game 1 of the quarterfinals round.  And especially when such home teams are priced from -8 to -11.5 points.  Since 1991, these teams are 30-2 straight-up and 26-6 ATS.  But that's not the best part.  If they're playing an opponent off back to back SU/ATS wins, then our 26-6 stat zooms to 11-0 ATS, with the average margin of victory being 17.9 ppg.  This will be a roast.  Lay the points with Golden State.  NBA High Roller Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie. 

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Boston/Milwaukee game.  Over the last 28 years, in the NBA, whenever a Playoff series has gone the full seven games, it's been profitable to play on the 'under' in Game 7.  And that's going to be our selection here.  Indeed, the scores have declined in four of the last five games.  Game 2 produced 226 points; Game 3 was 208; Game 4 generated 206; Game 5 had 179; and Game 6 ticked up slightly to 183.  But even though the scores have been getting substantially less, the over/under line has not caught up to just how much the scoring has declined.  Take the 'under.'  NBA Elite Info Play.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 2:15 pm, our selection is on the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals 'under' the total.  This weekend's scheduled four-game series between the White Sox and Royals turned into a five-game series as the make-up for the April 1 game will be played this afternoon as the first of a double-header.  The Royals are promoting RHP Trevor Oaks from AAA today to make his MLB debut in this game one.  Oaks was acquired from the Dodgers in January, and he had thrown three straight quality starts for his Triple-A club already in 2018.  The Sox will go with RHP Carson Fulmer who had a quality start last time out on Monday against the Mariners.  Fulmer has never pitched at Kauffman Stadium or faced the Royals before in his career.  The Sox hitters came out for 10 runs in Fulmer's last start, but that was at home and they haven't always been showing up for his road outings.  They plated 11 runs in Fulmer's last road start (in Oakland) but only 11 total in his previous four away from Chicago (and all four of those games went under the total.  The under is also 5-2-1 in the Royals last eight home games.  Take the 'under.'  MLB Total of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 2:10 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Twins over the Cincinnati Reds.  After facing the likes of the Rays, Astros, Indians, and Yankees in their last four series, if the Twins were looking for a little class relief, they probably got it with the 6-20 Cincinnati Reds.  The Twins, though, dropped Game 1 of this series, and are losers of eight straight -- seven on the road.  The good news for Minnesota is that it's 5-4 here at home.  There's something else about the Twins that stands out with respect to this series.  Some teams like playing inter-league games and some don't.  Well the Twins apparently LOVE playing inter-league because coming into this game they are 11-2 in their last 13 against NL teams and 8-1 here at Target Field.  RHP Jake Odorizzi gets the start and what better way for him to get out of a bit of a funk as well.  Odorizzi has his only win on the season here at home, where his ERA is almost a run better than on the road (4.09 vs. 4.80).  Take the Twins.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the OKC/Utah game.  Utah has another chance to close out this series after failing to do so in Game 5.  The good news for the Jazz is that they are back at home.  I look for a low-scoring game tonight, as the last eight meetings between these two teams in Utah have gone 'under' the total when the line was less than 208 points.  Also, road teams facing elimination, down 3-games-to-2 in a 7-game series, have gone 'under' the total 71% since 1991 when the line was greater than 200 points.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:10 pm, our selection is on the New York Mets over the San Diego Padres.  When Mets ace Noah Syndergaard went down with an injury last season, the burden fell squarely on the shoulders of RHP Jacob deGrom.  And deGrom responded with 15 wins, a 3.53 ERA and 239 strikeouts for a K-rate of 10.7 and K:BB ratio of 4.05.  Those numbers were good enough for deGrom to finish in the top-10 in Cy Young voting.  Now that Syndergaard is back -- and with what would seem to be less pressure on him -- deGrom has stepped his game even further.  So far over his first five starts, all of those numbers -- with the obvious exception of wins -- is better than it was last season and deGrom has propelled himself into one of the top three or four starters in the NL.  He gets a great match-up tonight for start number six, going to the mound at Petco Park where he is 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in three starts.  The Pads will go with LHP Clayton Richard for his sixth start of the season and San Diego is 1-5 in his last six starts vs. the Mets.  Take New York.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the Houston Astros over the Oakland Athletics.  About a week ago, Oakland's Sean Manaea threw MLB's first no-hitter of 2018.  And he did against one of the two best offenses in the AL.  His reward?  His next start will be facing the other "best offense" in the Astros.  And while the crafty LH accomplished his no-no in front of his home fans in Oakland, tonight Manaea will travel to Houston.  Not to throw too much rain on Mr. Manaea's AL player of the week parade, but it should also be noted that the Red Sox -- for all of their offense this season -- are not hitting a lick against southpaws, batting just .209 with a meager .563 OPS so far against them.  That's not the case for the 'Stros, who are hitting almost 50 points higher in that regard (.255).  And speaking of southpaws, the A's will have to face one of the league's best tonight in Dallas Keuchel.  Keuchel is off to a solid start with a 3.10 ERA in his first five outings and in his only home start he allowed just one ER in five innings.  The Stros are 10-3 in Keuchel's last 13 starts vs. the A's who are 7-19 in the last 26 in Houston.  Take the Astros.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Pacers/Cavaliers game.  All five games of this playoff series have gone 'under' the total.  And, dating back to the regular season, these two teams have gone 7-0-1 'under' in their last eight meetings.  I certainly won't buck this trend.  Take Game 6 to go 'under' the total.

At 7 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Washington/Toronto game.  This series started out as a very high-scoring one.  The first three games averaged 231.3 ppg.  But the last two games have seen a huge shift in the offensive efficiency, and have averaged just 205 ppg.  I look for this trend to continue in Game 6.  Take the 'under.'

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Phillies over Atlanta.  The Braves have won four of the first six meetings this season vs. Philly.  And two of those meetings featured this exact pitching match-up.  Julio Teheran got the better of Aaron Nola in both of those games, but I look for Nola to turn the tables on his mound opponent tonight.  All six of those games were in Atlanta, but tonight's game is in Philly.  And Nola's home ERA this season is 1.80 this season, and he's given up just five earned runs in 26 innings (1.73 ERA) vs. Atlanta in front of his home faithful.  Take Philly.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Cubs over the Milwaukee Brewers.  In the Cubs' last 11 games, their offense has either been really, really good, or really, really anemic.  In six of those, Chicago's line-up has scored at least eight runs.  In the other five however, they have plated three or fewer.  Last night was one of the latter examples as Trevor Bauer and the rest of the Indians' pitchers stymied Chicago and won the game, 4-1.  So the Cubs return home for a four-game set against the Brewers hoping that their hitting returns as well.  RHP Kyle Hendricks will get his fifth start of the season tonight for the Cubs and he's regressed a bit this season posting a 1-1 record, 4.09 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 22 innings so far.  Perhaps a start against the Brewers will give Hendricks' season a jump start.  His 16 starts and six career victories over the Crew are the most he's tallied against any team.  And he has a 3.01 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 92 2/3 innings against them as well.  The Cubs are 11-4 in their last 15 during game one of a series.  Take Chicago.  NL Central Game of the Month. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, on Thursday, our selection is on the Boston Celtics + the points over Milwaukee.  The Celtics won the pivotal Game 5 on Tuesday to take a 3-2 series lead.  In the Playoffs, NBA road teams up 3 games to 2 have cashed a whopping 67% in the 1st round.  Take Boston + the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Celtics and Bucks Game 6 to go 'under' the total.  These two teams have played a very competitive series, as it was tied at 2 games apiece before Boston won Game 5.  In the NBA playoffs, competitive series have gone 'under' 70-49 in Game 6 (that were tied at 2 games apiece).  The 'under' also falls into a 72-33 Totals system of mine.  Take the 'under.'  1st Round Total of the Year. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Timberwolves + the points over Houston.  It's treacherous to lay more than 10 points in a Playoff game, and especially when the favored team is coming off a win in its previous playoff game vs. its opponent.  Since 1991, our double-digit favorites in this situation have covered just 29 of 77 games.  Take Minnesota + the points.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Oklahoma City Thunder minus the points over Utah.  We played on Utah in Game 4 of this series, and were rewarded with a double-digit blowout win.  But we will switch gears, and lay the points with OKC in this "do-or-die" Game 5.  Indeed, home favorites down three-games-to-one in a series have covered 61.2% since 1991 off back to back losses.  Lay the points with the Thunder.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Bruins apparently like to leave things to the last minute.  They played the last regular season game in the NHL on the final Sunday (the only game that day) with a chance to overtake Tampa for the top spot in the East (they didn't do it).  And now they will play the final game -- and the only game seven -- of the first round of the playoffs.  Toronto figured to be a tough challenge for Boston, but if the Bruins can get their offense going like they did in games one and two here at TD Garden, then they should be able to advance against to play the Lightning.  The Bruins out-played and out-shot the Leafs in game six in Toronto, but simply couldn't get the puck to go in the net and lost a tough one 3-1 (with the last goal being an empty-netter).  In a game seven, you have to go with the big-time post-season performers, and no one fits that bill more than Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask.  Rask has a 33-26 career playoff record and a .927 post-season save percentage. The Bruins are  13-2 at home off a loss, and 7-3 off back to back losses.  Take Boston.  NHL Game of the Week. As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Indiana Pacers + the points over Cleveland.  The Pacers have won two of the four games in this series, but have outplayed Cleveland, overall.  In the four games, Indiana has outscored the Cavs, 387-374, and has covered three of the four games.  The Pacers are 54-28-4 ATS off a Playoff defeat, including 21-6-3 ATS as a road underdog of +2 or more points.  Meanwhile, Cleveland is 20-46-1 ATS as a favorite this season.  Take the Pacers + the points.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Raptors minus the points over the Washington Wizards.  Toronto dropped both games in our nation's capital, and this series is now level at 2 games apiece.  I look for the #1-seeded Raptors to re-assert themselves here, at home, as top seeds have cashed 64 percent in the Playoffs since 1991 when favored (or PK) off back to back losses by 5+ points.  Lay it!  Eastern Conf. Game of the Week.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Baltimore Orioles over the Tampa Bay Rays.  Things haven't gone as planned for the Orioles' off-season free-agent pitching acquisition, RH Alex Cobb.  Cobb stayed down in extended Spring training before making his Baltimore debut on April 14.  The way things have gone for him in his two starts however, perhaps he should have stayed down south a bit longer.  Cobb's numbers through his first two starts are butt-ugly -- an 0-2 record with a 15.43 ERA and 3.14 WHIP.  But there are two things about tonight's start that make you think he might finally get things going. First, this will be his Orioles home debut as both of his first two starts were on the road (and both were in very less-than-desirable weather conditions).  Second, he will be facing his old team -- the Rays -- for the first time.  If anyone on the O's should know these hitters, it's Cobb.  But even if he pitches well, the O's hitters have to get going for him, something they've not always been able to do this season.  They could get a boost from the possible return of OF Trey Mancini from his knee injury.  Take the O's.  AL Game of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 4:05 pm, in Game 1 of the Double Header, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Detroit Tigers.  These two were rained out on Tuesday night, so they will play a day-night double header today beginning with this afternoon affair.  Pittsburgh's Jameson Taillon is no doubt thrilled to be getting the start in the first game when you consider his record in daytime starts.  The veteran RHP is a ridiculous 8-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 13 career daytime starts (vs. 7-11; 4.42 at night).  RHP Jordan Zimmermann will go for the Tigers. Zimmermann's struggles continue since he came over to the AL as he has a 7.71 ERA and 1.59 WHIP through his first four starts of 2018. These two teams started the season off with three games in Detroit that were all won by Pittsburgh. This series is in an NL park, so Detroit doesn't get the benefit of the DH.  The Tigers are 5-18 in their last 23 road games vs. a team with a winning home record and 2-8 in their last 10 inter-league road games vs. teams with a RH starter..  Take the Pirates.  Mound Mismatch Massacre.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:45 pm, our selection is on the Washington Nationals over the San Francisco Giants.  Last season, Max Scherzer won the Cy Young award for the second straight season and third time in his career.  And the way he's going in 2018, it could be three in a row.  Scherzer is 4-1 with a 1.36 ERA in five starts and last time out -- Friday against the Dodgers in L.A. -- all he did was out-pitch Clayton Kershaw.  He goes for victory number five today in one of his favorite parks.  In four starts here at AT&T covering 23 innings, Scherzer has a 1.96 ERA and 37 Ks with only 10 BBs.  He's only 1-1 in those four starts, but the Nats have won each of his last three vs. the Giants, including the last two here.  Giants RH Jeff Samardzija had a late start to the season due to a pectoral muscle injury coming out of Spring training.  He threw five shutout innings in his debut but tonight could be a different story against a team that's almost always given him trouble.  Samardzija's teams (the Giants and Cubs) haven't beaten the Nats in his last five starts going back to 2013.  Heading into today's game, the Nats are 6-3 in the last nine meetings.  Take DC.  MLB Road Warrior. As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Golden State Warriors minus the points over San Antonio.  The Warriors had won seven straight Playoff games over the past two seasons vs. San Antonio.  So, perhaps, it was no surprise that they didn't bring their best game on Sunday in San Antone.  But off that blowout loss, I expect the Warriors to be more focused tonight.  Indeed, Golden State is 75-37-1 ATS over the past 7+ years off a loss when playing a foe off a win, including 15-7 ATS in the Playoffs.  Golden State also falls into 86-37 and 126-65 ATS systems of mine which play on certain teams off playoff defeats.  Lay the points with the Warriors.  NBA Game of the Week.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks 'under' the total.  This series has been ultra-competitive, as the two teams are tied at 2 games apiece heading into this pivotal game 5.  Typically, such games are low-scoring affairs.  Indeed, when teams are tied at 1, 2 or 3 games apiece, and the game is also competitively-priced with a point spread of 5 points or less, the 'under' is 130-94-1 since 1990.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Utah Jazz minus the points over Oklahoma City.  The Jazz gained control of this series with a 13-point win in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead.  The Jazz are now 27-5 straight-up, and 21-11 ATS in their last 32 games when playing with rest, including 20-5 ATS when not laying more than 10 points!  And they're a fantastic 54-33-2 ATS as a home favorite in the Playoffs, including 36-4 straight-up and 28-11-1 ATS when priced from -4.5 to -7.5 points.  The Jazz also fall into a Playoff system of mine which is 76-47 ATS which plays on certain home teams off Playoff wins.  Take Utah.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:40 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Rockies over the San Diego Padres.  Even if you're not a fan of the Rockies, it's hard not to root for RHP Chad Bettis.  Coming into the league in 2013, Bettis had a rough time in his first two seasons -- just like so many Colorado hurlers -- having to pitch all his home games in Denver.  After a solid 2015 in which he went 8-6 with a 4.23 ERA, Bettis broke out with 14 wins in 2016 and looked like he was set for even better things in 2017.  But after the 2016 season, Bettis learned he had testicular cancer and underwent treatment.  He came back later that season and now he's 100% and looking better than ever on the mound.  Bettis is 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA in his first four starts and looks to continue that success tonight at home against the Padres.  It's only his second start of 2018 at Coors Field, but he was effective in his first one, allowing just one run on four hits in 5 2/3 innings against the Braves on April 7.  And the Rockies are 16-4 his last 20 home starts.  Also, Bettis has had success pitching against the Pads, going 4-2 with a 2.96 ERA in 12 games (nine starts covering 51 2/3 innings) vs. them in his career.  One of those starts was earlier this season, in San Diego -- also against his mound opponent tonight, Bryan Mitchell -- and the Rockies bombed Mitchell for five runs in five innings.  Mitchell's teams (Yankees, Padres) have won just one of his last nine starts.  Take Colorado.  Mound Mismatch Massacre.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last season it was the top-seeded Washington Capitals getting all they could bargain for in the first round against the Maple Leafs. This year, it's a very similar scenario, except it's the Bruins who are wishing the pesky Leafs would just go away already. But Toronto is very much alive in this first round series, and they get a Game 6 at home tonight just like they did a year ago against Washington. And just like a year ago, the Bruins should be able to close out the series on the road. Boston was a tough-luck loser at home in game five, out-shooting the Leafs by a whopping 45-21 but falling by 4-3 to send this series back here to Toronto. But the Bruins can feel good about the fact that the road team has won the last two games of this series and the Leafs are 0-4 in their last four games following a victory. The Bruins will look to duplicate the delayed success of the Penguins and Predators, who each lost a series-clinching Game 5 at home before taking their respective series in a road Game 6 on Sunday. The Bruins are also 23-10 this season off a loss. Take Boston. High Roller Winner. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.      

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Colorado Avalanche.  The Predators can wrap things up tonight in Colorado against the Avalanche and although they're not at home, they would prefer to end things here in Denver.  The Winnipeg Jets have already moved on against the Wild and the last thing the Preds want is to have to go to a game seven while their next opponents are resting and preparing for them.  The Avs pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the NHL post-season so far Friday in Nashville, beating the Predators, 2-1 as more than a 3-1 underdog.  And they did it without their #1 or #2 goalie.  With both Jonathan Bernier and Semyon Varlamov out with injuries, the Avs turned to Andrew Hammond.  They will need to rely on the journeyman netminder again tonight.  Don't be surprised if Colorado has a letdown at home in game six as this is a place where Nashville has had a lot of success recently.  In the last eight meetings of these two here at Pepsi Center, the Predators are 7-1 and they are 14-3 in the last 17 meetings overall.  Take the Preds.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Raptors minus the points over Washington.  The #1-seeded Raptors played a rare bad game on Friday, as they lost 122-103 in Game 3.  The good news for fans North of the Border is that .615 (or better) teams have cashed 67% in the Playoffs since 1991 off double-digit losses when they've led the series 2-games-to-1, against .540 (or worse) opponents.  Take Toronto.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto/Washington game 'under' the total.  The Raptors are up 2-games-to-1 in this series after dropping Game 3 by 19 points.  I expect the Raptors to play much better defense this evening, and look for a lower-scoring game.  Indeed, over the last 25 seasons, Game 4s have gone 'under' the total 64% when the higher-seeded team was blown out by double-digits in Game 3 (after winning Games 1 + 2), and the O/U line was greater than 190 points.  Take the 'under.'

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Red Sox over the Oakland Athletics.  The first no-hitter of the 2018 season came from the unlikely arm of the Oakland Athletics' Sean Manaea here last night.  And the fact that it came against the best offense in baseball -- and opposite ace Chris Sale -- makes the accomplishment all the more amazing.  So the Red Sox hitting took a rare night off on Saturday, but don't expect this lineup to remain dormant for two days in a row.  This afternoon it will be David Price taking his comeback tour to the Coliseum as the southpaw looks to continue his successful campaign.  Price struggled through an injury-riddled 2017 but looks rejuvenated -- if still a little rusty -- so far this season, going 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in his first four starts covering 20 innings.  Price has only pitched at the Coliseum on seven previous occasions, but the results are very good as he's 3-2 with a 3.02 ERA in just under 48 innings here.  RHP Daniel Mengden gets the start for the A's who are 4-10 in his last 14 home starts.  Take Boston.  MLB Road Warrior Winner. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Celtics + the points over Milwaukee.  The Bucks blew out Boston, 116-92, on Friday.  But we'll fade the Bucks today, as Boston is a super 57-31-2 ATS its last 90 road games, including 12-3-1 its last 16 off a loss by 7+ points.  Meanwhile, Milwaukee is a horrid 18-53-2 ATS as a home favorite when it's owned a winning record, including 6-23 ATS when playing a revenge-minded opponent.  Boston also falls into a 21-0 ATS Playoffs system of mine which plays on certain teams off blowout losses.  Take the Celtics.  NBA Underdog of the Month.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Boston/Milwaukee game.  The Celtics are 13-4 'under' the total in their last 17 road playoff games, while the Bucks have gone 'over' the total in just two of their last 10 home playoff games.  And the 'under' also falls into a Totals system of mine which is 93-54 since 1991.  Take the 'under.'

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Oklahoma City Thunder + the points over Utah.  The Thunder fell at home in Game 2, 102-95.  I look for OKC to bounce back on this Saturday, as teams off an upset home loss in the playoffs have cashed 60% since 1991 in their next game (and 26-13 ATS the last 5+ years), provided they weren't favored by 2+ points.  Here, of course, OKC is an underdog.  Take the Thunder + the points.  Western Conf. Game of the Week.  Good luck, as always ... Al McMordie.

At 2:35 pm, our selection is on the Miami Heat + the points over Philadelphia.  The Sixers took a 2-1 lead in this series with a 20-point blowout of Miami in Game 3.  Unfortunately for Philly, road teams are a dismal 35% ATS since 1991 in Game 4 of a series, off a double-digit win, if they lead the series 2 games to 1.  Take the Heat + the points.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Milwaukee Bucks minus the points over Boston.  The Bucks have their backs against the wall, as they face a 2-game deficit going into this Game 3.  We'll lay the points with Milwaukee, as winning teams, off back to back road losses, down two games in a Playoff series, are 115-90 ATS at home.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the Milwaukee/Boston game.  These two teams sailed 'over' the total by wide margins in Games 1 and 2.  Game 1 generated 220 points (against an O/U line of 199.5), while Game 2 produced 226 points (against a line of 200).  I look for a much lower scoring game tonight, as teams generally go 'under' the total when they've gone over by 20+ points in each of their previous two meetings in a season, when the O/U line is more than 194 points.  Also, Boston's gone 'under' in 13 of 16 road playoff games, while Milwaukee's last five home playoff games have gone 'under' (and Milwaukee's 7-1-1 'under' at home its last nine playoff games).  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Raptors and Wizards 'under' the total.  The Raptors went 'over' the total in both home playoff games vs. Washington.  And that's been par for the course for the Raptors, at home in the post-season, as they've gone 'over' in 15 of 23 games.  On the road, though, it's been a different story, as the Raptors have only gone 'over' in six of their last 18 road games.  Just 16 of the last 42 meetings between these two teams have gone 'over,' and just 44 of 118 matchups of #8 seeds playing at home vs. #1 seeds have gone 'over.'  Take the UNDER.

At 9:40 pm, our selection is on the Arizona Diamondbacks over the San Francisco Giants.  When you look at Arizona ace RHP Zack Greinke's ERA this season, you'll see a rather unsightly 5.29 number (in three starts).  But look at the rest of his numbers, and you'll also see an amazing 21 strikeouts and only one walk, indicating that there's probably nothing wrong with the 34-year-old former Cy Young winner  Greinke is probably going to be fine and that 5.29 ERA will come down over time and the victories will start coming as well.  Here's a great chance to improve on his numbers as the Giants come to town for a weekend series.  The D-Backs have won Greinke's last three starts vs. the Giants, including an eight-inning, two-hit gem the last time he faced them back on 9/17.  The Giants will go with LHP Ty Blach in his fifth start of the season.  Blach's strikeouts-to-walks numbers are pretty much the opposite of Greinke's.  In 20 1/3 innings, Blach has punched out just nine batters and he has issued the same number of walks.  The Giants are 1-8 in Blach's last nine start starts going back to last August.  And Greinke's teams are 76-19 (+42 games on the money line) at home in his starts.  Take the D-Backs.  MLB Roadkill Winner. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the 'under' in the San Antonio/Golden State game.  The San Antonio Spurs have a severe home/road bias this season.  At home, the Spurs are 33-8 straight-up and 25-14-2 ATS.  And they've won their last 11 home games in a row (9-2 ATS; 8-3 'under' the total).  But on the road, San Antone is a miserable 14-29 SU and 17-25-1 ATS, including 0-10 SU its last seven (and 1-14 SU its last 15).  A key reason for this is that San Antonio's defense has not traveled with it on the road, of late, but is ever-present at home.  Indeed, since the All-Star break, the Spurs' defensive rating at home was 2nd in the NBA, while it was in the bottom 10 on the road.  I look for the Spurs to once again play great defense in front of their home faithful tonight.  Take the 'under.'  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Leafs won game three at home as they pretty much had to do in order to save this series.  But were it not for the play of goalie Frederik Andersen -- who pretty much stood on his head Monday night -- Toronto would be down 3-0 and essentially done.  The Bruins put a barrage on the Toronto net in game three, out-shooting the Leafs 42-30.  A similar onslaught tonight will likely result in these two teams returning to Boston with the Bruins up 3-1.  One of the Leafs' biggest challenges will be keeping Boston in check without their #1 shutdown Center, Nazem Kadri, who has been suspended three games -- rightfully so -- for an illegal hit on the Bruins' Tommy Wengel last Thursday.  Kadri won't be eligible to return until game five.  Boston could get a big boost tonight from the return of Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who missed Monday's game with a lower body injury.  There is an extra day between games three and four, so that's good news for the visitors, who are 12-2 in their last 14 when playing on two days of rest.  Take Boston.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Colorado Avalanche.  The Avs' victory over the Predators in Game 3 of their quarterfinal series was the first loss for Nashville in four games.  That streak included season-ending wins over the Capitals and Blue Jackets in addition to wins in the first two games of this series.  No doubt the Preds would love to win tonight and then finish things off in Game 5 back at Bridgestone Arena.  For the third straight game, the Avs got on the board first, with a pair of goals in the opening stanza, but unlike Games 1 and 2, they didn't let the Predators back into it.  In fact, they extended the lead to 4-0 before Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne was replaced after facing just 15 shots.  Rinne will be back tonight and the Preds should provide more protection in front of him while being more aggressive early on.  They can't keep giving up early goals in these playoff games.  Despite their loss on Monday, the Predators are still 6-1 in the last seven trips to Denver, as well as 17-4 when playing with revenge from a loss to an opponent earlier this season.  And they're 16-5 after giving up more than 2 goals in each of their two previous games.  Take the Predators.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, on Wednesday, our selection is on the Minnesota Timberwolves + the points over Houston.  The Rockets were the league's best team (by far) this season.  But in Game 1 of the Playoffs they had to withstand a missed 3-pointer by Jimmy Butler to escape with a 3-point win.  We'll fade the Rockets in Game 2, as .719 (or better) NBA teams off a win by less than 15 points to open a playoff series are a soft 27.6% ATS since 1991, and just 16.6% ATS when laying more than 9 points.  Take Minnesota + the points.  NBA ELITE INFO WINNER.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, on Wednesday, our selection is on the Cleveland Cavaliers minus the points over Indiana.  The Pacers walloped the Cavaliers, 98-80, in Game 1.  But LeBron James' teams have cashed 71% at home in his career in the Eastern Conference Playoffs when they've not led in a Playoff series.  But that's not the best part.  In the first two rounds, in his career, LeBron's teams are a perfect 7-0 SU/ATS at home when they've trailed in a Playoff series, and have covered by an average of 10.06 ppg.  This will be a roast.  Take Cleveland minus the points.  NBA GAME OF THE MONTH.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, on Tuesday, our selection is on the Portland Trail Blazers minus the points over New Orleans.  The Blazers were upset by Anthony Davis & Co. on Saturday night.  But I love Portland to level this series at one game apiece.  Indeed, teams seeded #3 (or better) off a loss to start the NBA Playoffs, are 32-3 straight-up and 24-9-2 ATS at home in Game 2, including a perfect 8-0 ATS vs. foes with a .567 (or better) win percentage.  Lay the points with Portland.  PERFECT 10 CLUB PLAY.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Vegas Golden Knights.  With their backs against the proverbial wall, the mighty Kings -- winners of two Stanley Cups the past eight years -- are in danger of being skunked in the first round of the playoffs.  And it would be historic because the team they're playing is an expansion club that wasn't even in the league a year ago.  The Kings have done a bunch of things right in this series but haven't been able to break through.  They were woefully out-shot in game two, but were without defensive star Drew Doughty.  With Doughty back for game three here at home, the tide turned with L.A. winning the battle, 39 shots to 26.  But it lost the war, 3-2.  We've seen Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury have meltdowns in post-season games before, but so far in this series he's been near-perfect.  Look for the Kings to apply even more pressure tonight.  They held the Knights scoreless (0 for four) on their power plays, but went 0 for five themselves and that has to change.  The Kings are 15-3 when playing with triple revenge.  Take L.A.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:10 pm, our selection is on the Houston Astros over the Seattle Mariners.  Lance McCullers, Jr's dad played in the majors for seven seasons with four different teams and never won a World Series.  The younger McCullers is all of 24 years old and already has one ring and should have plenty of chances for more.  McCullers is a budding ace whose best seasons are likely still ahead.  And with the likes of Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, and now Gerrit Cole pitching in front of him, McCullers doesn't have the added pressure that comes with being one of the top three guys.  McCullers started out 2018 with a solid start at home, but then got lit up in Minneapolis in start #2.  We'll chalk that one up to the cold weather in Minnesota, and expect much better things tonight in Seattle where the Stros have won three of McCullers' last four starts.  Seattle LH Ariel Miranda gets his first start of the season tonight.  Miranda has a winning record in his career, but also a 4.79 ERA in 43 games (39 starts).  He has a tough assignment at home where the M's have lost each of his last three starts vs. Houston.  And Houston's 50-23 its last 73 as a road favorite.  Take the 'Stros.  MLB Payback Payday. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:10 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Rays over the Texas Rangers.  While Mother Nature wreaked havoc on the weekend games, the Rangers won at home on Sunday night against their cross-state rivals Houston in extra innings.  Now they have to travel to Florida for this series against the Rays.  A pair of southpaws will go to the mound in game one of this three game set in St. Pete.  Martin Perez has an unsightly 11.88 ERA in his first two starts of 2018 for Texas, having allowed a whopping 19 hits in 8 1/3 innings.  The Rangers seem to be content on keeping Perez in their rotation despite his continued struggles.  The Rays will go with Blake Snell.  If Snell can learn to limit his walks he could be a very effective pitcher in the Majors.  Snell has 17 strikeouts in 15 innings this season for one of the best K rates in the league, but he also has issued 15 free passes.  That might play well tonight against the free-swinging Rangers lineup.  The Rays are 4-0 in Snell's last four starts vs. teams from the AL West while the Rangers are 0-8 in their last eight during game one of a series.  Take Tampa.  MLB Game of the Month.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Boston Bruins.  You may recall a year ago when the Maple Leafs gave the Capitals all they could handle in their first round series, with five of the six games going to overtime.  Well, so far at least, Toronto isn't improving -- or even doing the same -- in this first round series as the Leafs have allowed 12 goals in the first two games, including seven in game two on Saturday.  But there is reason to believe that they can come back tonight in game three.  For one thing, Toronto was quite a bit more stingy on defense at home this regular season than it was on the road (2.66 GAA vs. 2.95), while the Bruins scored at a much lower rate on the road than in Boston (2.93 GPG vs. 3.59).  And the Leafs were one of the hottest teams on home ice in the second half, going 21-7 in their last 28 games here at Air Canada Centre.  The Bruins have struggled here lately as well, going 0-4 in their last four trips north to Toronto.  And in four cases this season when the Leafs lost back-to-back road games and then returned home, they were 3-1.  Take Toronto.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Vegas Golden Knights.  The Golden Knights fairy-tale of a season continues into the post-season.  The Knights took games one and two at home and are thus undefeated in their playoff history.  Game two was perhaps the greatest game in Vegas franchise history, going to double-overtime before the home team prevailed 2-1.  But one can only wonder if the result would have been different had the Kings had the services of #1 defenseman, Drew Doughty.  Doughty was suspended for one game after a hit to the head of the Knights' William Carrier in game one.  So with L.A. already down two D-men (Jake Muzzin and Derek Forbort), Doughty's return tonight is absolutely crucial to the Kings' chances.  Both regular season games here at Staples Center were incredibly close, with each team prevailing once (both in OT) so there's every reason to think that the Kings can even the series tonight.  The Knights are 1-4 in their last five road games.  Take Los Angeles.  NHL Division Game of the Month.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:10 pm, our selection is on the New York Mets over the Milwaukee Brewers.  The Mets historic April run -- their 11-1 start was the best in Franchise history -- hit a minor bump on Saturday.  The Brewers came into Queens and beat the home team, 5-1 behind some very good pitching.  The Mets respond today with one of their two aces as RH Noah Syndergaard takes the mound for his third start of the season.  You can't help but feel that as the man they call "Thor" continues to progress from his 2017 injury we're going to see something special in 2018.  And with the offense doing what it's done this season, run support should not be an issue like it has in the past.  Syndergaard is 2-0 with a 3.94 ERA, but what really stands out are his 22 strikeouts and four walks in 16 innings.  The Brewers won the game yesterday, but they may have lost the battle.  With their outfield already missing Christian Yelich (he won't return from the DL today), Ryan Braun left Saturday's game with an apparent back injury.  The Crew will also be without catcher Manny Pina again.  They are 4-8 in the last 12 trips to NY, and 8-24 (minus 9 games on the money line) when priced from +175 to +250.  Take the Mets.  Mound Mismatch Massacre.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Anaheim Ducks over the San Jose Sharks.  The Sharks were one of two road teams to pull upsets in game one of the playoffs on Thursday night -- the other one being the Blue Jackets.  But while Columbus snuck by the Capitals in OT, San Jose put on a dominating performance, shutting out the home team in Anaheim, 3-0.  In fact, this was the third straight win for the Sharks over the Ducks in their last three meetings, all of which have been here at the Honda Center.  Clearly, this puts the Ducks in a must-win situation tonight in Game two.  And there is reason to believe that they will be successful.  First of all is the fact that the Ducks rebound very well from losses like the one they suffered two nights ago.  In their last eight games following a loss of three or more goals, the Ducks are an impressive 7-1.  And despite their victory in Game one, the Sharks are 3-14 in their last 17 road games vs. teams with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Take Anaheim.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:10 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Miami Marlins.  Gone are the two players who arguably meant the most to the Pirates -- Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen -- and yet Pittsburgh is off to one of its best starts in recent memory.  The Pirates are 9-4 and hold an unlikely 2 1/2 game lead in the National League Central.  Almost everyone has been contributing to the Bucs success, but two players in particular have made the fans somewhat forget about the losses of Cole and Cutch.  On the offensive side, OF Gregory Polanco is off to a scorching start, leading the lead with 15 RBI.  And in the Bucs starting rotation, RHP Jameson Taillon seems to be on the verge of a breakout season at 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA and 0.49 WHIP in his first two starts.  Taillon is coming off the first shutout of his pro career -- a one-hit gem against the Reds on Sunday at PNC Park.  He pitched five innings and won his only start at Marlins Park last season where he'll go for start number three tonight.  Despite their loss last night, the Pirates are still 7-3 in their last 10 road games.  Take Pittsburgh.  MLB Road Warrior Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:10 pm, our selection is on the Seattle Mariners over the Oakland Athletics.  When the Mariners needed another reliable starter to bolster their rotation late last year, they pulled off a sneaky-smart trade with the Cardinals to get RHP Mike Leake.  Leake's not the kind that will strike out a bunch of guys, but for a #3 starter to be able to go out every five or six days behind the likes of Hernandez and Paxton, he's a great fit.  The move paid immediate dividends for Seattle as Leake went 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA in five starts last season and he's off to a 2-0 start (3.00 ERA) in his first two starts of 2018.  And the Cards are picking up a big chunk of his contract.  He'll go for start #3 tonight at home against the A's, who he beat last September 1, tossing a gem (7 IP, 2 ER, 8H, 7K) while winning the game 3-2.  Leake has a winning record (3-2) with a 3.44 ERA in six career starts here at Safeco Field.  Leake has not allowed more than two runs in six of his last seven starts (and in the seventh he allowed three) going back to that win over Oakland last September.  The A's are 1-8 in the last nine meetings.  Take Seattle.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  All the Bruins had to do to lock up the top spot in the East was to beat the Florida Panthers -- already eliminated from the playoffs -- at home on Sunday in their make-up game.  They couldn't do it.  And now as a result -- and a result of the NHL playoff system -- Boston will likely have to go through both Toronto AND Tampa Bay just to reach the NHL semi-finals.  This will be the only series in the East that features two teams with at least 100 points in the regular season. Having said that, it's the Leafs that have to prove themselves as a legitimate post-season threat as they haven't made it to a conference Finals since 2001-2002.  Don't look for another letdown from the hosts today as Boston should be ready to play.  And the home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings of these two.  Toronto had one of the easiest schedules down the stretch of any team, playing the Devils, Canadiens, Jets, Islanders, Panthers, Red Wings, and Sabres (twice) in their last eight games.  Winnipeg is the only playoff team of that group (and the Jets won that game, 3-1).  Boston's 12-2 at home off a loss, while Toronto is an awful 2-9 on the road off a win by 2+ goals.  Take the Bruins. NHL Game of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the New Orleans Pelicans minus the points over San Antonio.  The San Antonio Spurs have a severe home/road bias this season.  At home, the Spurs are 33-8 straight-up and 25-14-2 ATS.  And they've won their last 11 home games in a row (9-2 ATS; 8-3 'under' the total).  But on the road, San Antone is a miserable 14-26 SU and 17-22-1 ATS, including 0-7 SU its last seven (and 1-11 SU its last 12).  A key reason for this is that San Antonio's defense has not traveled with it on the road, of late.  Indeed, since the All-Star break, the Spurs' defensive rating at home is 2nd in the NBA, while it's #22 on the road.  The Spurs are a horrid 0-9 ATS at New Orleans the last four seasons when not favored by double-digits.  Take the Pelicans.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota T-Wolves minus the points over Denver.  Minnesota comes into this final game off three straight point spread wins.  And home teams with a winning record, off three ATS wins, have covered 90% in their final game of the season since 1991 vs. foes off a SU/ATS home win.  With Denver in off an 88-82 win vs. Portland (as a 5-point favorite), we'll lay the points with Minnesota on Wednesday.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Oklahoma City Thunder minus the points over Memphis.  The Grizzlies threw in the towel on the season months ago, so it wasn't a surprise to hear that center Marc Gasol won't play in tonight's finale.  And Gasol will join a long list of solid NBA players sidelined for Memphis in this game (e.g., JaMychal Green, Chandler Parsons, Tyreke Evans, Mike Conley).   Memphis will finish with the 2nd worst record this season (one game ahead of Phoenix), so will have an excellent chance to get the #1 pick in the 2018 draft.  The Grizzlies lost by 19 points to the T-Wolves on Monday, and that doesn't bode well for them, as .300 (or worse) teams off a loss have cashed just four of 21 games in their final game of the season, if they're matched up against a foe with a win percentage greater than .300.  Take the Thunder to blow out Memphis.

At 8:05, our selection is on the Miami Heat minus the points over Toronto.  The Raptors have had a brilliant season, and earned the #1 seed in the East.  For their reward, they'll rest their stars tonight in Miami.  This will be the Heat's final home game of the season, and Miami falls into a 92-57 ATS "Last Home Game" system of mine, which plays on certain teams, with a .333 (or better) record in their final home game of the season.  And the Heat also fall into a 42-14 ATS system of mine which plays on certain teams off 15+ point blowout losses.  More ammunition for pulling the trigger on the Heat tonight:  Miami is 26-12 ATS off back to back losses, and 46-33 ATS when playing with revenge.  Lay the points with Miami.  NBA Roadkill Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Brooklyn Nets minus the points over Boston.  We played on Brooklyn in its last game -- a win and cover vs. the Bulls -- and that was the Nets' 3rd straight win and cover.  Meanwhile, the Celtics are trending in the opposite direction with 0 ATS wins in their last four games.  And that includes a blowout loss at Washington last night (another game we had, as we laid the points with the Wizards).  We will once again play against the Celtics, who clearly have no interest in this game.  For technical support, consider that .481 (or better) teams off a loss are awful as home underdogs/PK vs. non-winning opponents, as they've cashed just 26 of 79 games since 1990.  Take Brooklyn.  NBA Road Warrior Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Baltimore Orioles over the Toronto Blue Jays.  If you follow the Orioles, you pretty much knew that it was only a matter of time before the offense got going.  That matter of time was this past weekend when they visited the Bronx.  After plating a total of six runs in their first four games, the O's offense started to show signs of life in the last two in Houston, putting eight runs across.  Then came the New York series, and Machado & Co. really got going, putting up 23 runs in four games and winning three of them as a result.  Everyone who follows MLB knows that this is not a very good pitching staff and runs will have to come in bunches for the O's to be successful this season. The O's became the first MLB team to call up its #1 starting prospect when they promoted Hunter Harvey on Monday.  Tonight it will be RHP Kevin Guasman who, after a sub-par first outing, pitched much better against the Yankees last Friday.  The Blue Jays are 8-19 in their last 27 road games vs. teams with a right-handed starter.  And Baltimore's 71-37 as a home favorite. Take the O's.  MLB Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Utah Jazz minus the points over Golden State.  The Jazz are playing as well as any team in basketball, and are the proverbial team which 'no one wants to play' in the Playoffs.  Utah is 28-5 its last 33 games, and 19-14 ATS, including two blowout wins over this Golden State squad (129-99, 110-91).  I look for the Jazz to pull off the hat trick tonight with another blowout win, as they fall into 106-44, 87-40 and 69-39 ATS 'momentum' systems of mine.   Also, this will be the Warriors' final road game of the season, and .500 (or better) teams are a poor 88-121 ATS in their final road game of the year if they are an underdog.  Lay the points with Utah.  NBA Elite Info Winner. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Washington Wizards over the Boston Celtics.  The Wizards will close out their home schedule with a game tonight vs. the Celtics.  And the Wizards are playing this game with a significant 'rest' advantage, as they have had the previous three days off, while the Celtics are playing on just one day of rest.  Since 1991, .500 (or better) teams have cashed 59.2% in their final home game of the season when playing with at least 2 more days' of rest than their opponent.  With the Wizards still in a battle for playoff seeding, and Boston locked into the #2 slot, we'll lay the points.  Take Washington.  Good luck, as always....Al McMordie.

At 2:20 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Cubs over the Pittsburgh Pirates.  No doubt about it, the Pirates have been one of the big surprises in all of the Majors so far, getting off to a 7-2 start and holding a two game lead over the Cubs (who have played all nine of their games on the road).  But after having faced Detroit, Minnesota, and Cincinnati, the Bucs get their first real test beginning this week with a three-game set in Chicago against the 2016 World Champs.  RHP Ivan Nova had the strongest home field bias of any starter in the league last year.  When pitching at PNC Park, Nova sported an 8-2 record with a 2.80 ERA in 12 starts.  But when he was on the road, things got ugly -- to the tune of 3-12 with a 5.19 number in 19 starts (no doubt Nova wanted the number of home-road starts to be reversed).  That bias was on full display in his last start here at Wrigley on August 30.  In that one, Nova allowed four runs on five hits in just three innings in a 17-3 blasting by the Cubs.  Chicago will go with newly-acquired RH Tyler Chatwood, who suffered a bad beat in his first start, losing 1-0 to the Reds despite a very good effort (one run in six innings).  Take the Cubs to win their home opener.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Brooklyn Nets minus the points over Chicago.  These two teams met in their last game, and Brooklyn blew out the Bulls, 124-96, in Chicago.  That was also the 2nd straight blowout win by Brooklyn in this series (they won by 17 here in late February).  Tonight, they play in Brooklyn, and we'll lay the points with the Nets, who fall into 51-11 and 95-41 ATS 'momentum' systems of mine that play on certain teams off blowout wins.  Even worse for Chicago:  this will be its final road game of the season.  And underdogs of 4+ points have cashed just 17.6% of the time since 1993 off a 25-point blowout loss, if they gave up 110+ points in that defeat.  Take Brooklyn.  NBA Roadkill Winner. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Phoenix Suns + the points over Golden State.  The Warriors are the league's most talented team.  Unfortunately, this might be a star-crossed season (which some might view as karma for Zaza Pachulia's takeout of Kawhi Leonard in last year's playoffs).  Currently, Steph Curry and Patrick McCaw have significant injuries, while Andre Iguodala also is hobbled, and won't play tonight.  The Warriors are 57-23 SU and 33-47 ATS this season, and firmly ensconced in 2nd place in the Western conference.  They also haven't covered two straight games since February 26, and have gone 5-14 ATS since.  The Warriors played their final home game of the season yesterday vs. the Pelicans (who were still battling for a playoff spot), and lost to New Orleans, so they now have to play the Suns without rest, and without anything to play for.  Let's grab the points with Phoenix in a home underdog role, today.  Yes, it's true that the Warriors have won 14 straight in the series.  But the last game (just seven days ago) was close, and the Suns easily covered in Oakland, as a 14.5-point underdog.  This game also will be Phoenix's final home game of the season, and home underdogs have cashed 60% since 1991 in their final home game when playing .666 (or better) foes.  Take the Suns + the points over Golden State.  NBA High Roller Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Washington Nationals over the New York Mets.  If the Nationals thought that 2018 would be another walk in the park to a third straight NL East Title -- well it isn't starting out that way.  Bryce Harper has done his part, with a league-leading five HRs, but the rest of the offense is sputtering, and the aces of the staff are off to a slow start as well.  So maybe 2018 will be RH Tanner Roark's time?  The #4 starter in this very talented rotation, Roark took a step back last season after a breakout 2016 campaign, but he appears ready to break out again.  Roark's first start was a gem -- one run on four hits in seven innings with six K's and one BB in an easy win over Atlanta.  He'll try to duplicate that tonight on National TV against the Mets and RH Matt Harvey.  There's been no bigger enigma in MLB the last few seasons than Harvey, who also pitched very well in his debut.  But given the recent problems he's had, we need to see more than just one quality start from the troubled veteran to be convinced he's turned the corner.  The Nats are 8-3 in Roark's last 11 starts vs. the Mets.  And they're also 72-39 (+19 games on the moneyline) when playing at night.  Take Washington.  MLB Game of the Month.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Florida Panthers.  Yesterday was supposed to be the last day of the regular season in the NHL, with every team playing.  But a storm came through the Northeastern U.S. early in the year, and the game between the Panthers and Bruins on January 4 was postponed and will be made up tonight in Boston as the only game on the schedule.  But what makes this game really interesting is the fact that, while the Panthers are playing for absolutely nothing, the Bruins will actually take over the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a victory (courtesy of the Lightning losing its game on Saturday).  So the Panthers have to get on a plane to travel all the way north to play a meaningless game.  Thus, Boston is (rightfully) a huge favorite this evening.  Florida is 7-25 in the last 32 meetings.  Thus, it should be a very happy occasion for the fans who will fill the TD Garden.  Lay the big price with the Bruins.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the Charlotte Hornets + the points over Indiana.  We played on the Hornets at Orlando on Friday, and were rewarded with a 37-point win.  Meanwhile, Indiana was blown out, 92-73, by Toronto on Friday.  It's true that Charlotte is out of the playoff picture with a losing record this season, while the Pacers are 46-34, and will be playing next weekend.  But losing teams off wins by 30+ points have cashed 64% at home vs. foes off losses by 15+ points.  Take Charlotte.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.